8/11: Ten Years Later, Low Concerns About Another Terrorist Attack

NY1/Marist New York City Poll

New York City and the rest of the nation will solemnly mark the tenth anniversary of the September 11th terrorist attacks one month from today.  Are residents in New York City concerned about another attack?  Worry about another assault in the city is at its lowest point since the 2001 attacks on the World Trade Center.

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Click Here for Complete August 11th, 2011 NYC NY1-Marist Poll Release and Tables

According to this NY1-Marist Poll, 49% of New York City residents express concern about another terrorist attack.  Included here are 17% who are very worried and 32% who are worried.  34%, however, are not too worried, and 17% are not worried at all.

“Although many New Yorkers remain on guard concerning another terrorist attack, others think the threat has passed,” says Dr. Lee M. Miringoff, Director of The Marist College Institute for Public Opinion.  “There has also been significant healing in the city.  A majority of New Yorkers say their lives have returned to normal.”

When NY1-Marist last reported this question in May soon after the death of Osama Bin Laden, 51% expressed concern while nearly three in ten — 29% — weren’t too worried, and 17% said they weren’t anxious at all.

More residents in the Bronx — 60% — are concerned than are those in the other boroughs.  49% of residents in Queens and Staten Island, 47% of those in Brooklyn, and 45% of those in Manhattan are either very worried or worried about another terrorist attack in New York City.

Women — 54% — and those 45 and older — 53% — have a heightened sense of anxiety compared with men — 43% — and those who are younger — 46%.

Table: Concern About Another Terrorist Attack

Table: Concern About Another Terrorist Attack Over Time

Trend Table: Concern over another terrorist attack.

Click on the graph to enlarge the image.

Daily Life Back to Normal for Majority … Recovery Still Needed for City

53% of adults in New York City say their lives have returned to normal since the terror attacks nearly ten years ago.  11% expect their lives to eventually return to normal while 36% say their lives will never be the same.

There has been little change on this question since May when 54% said their lives were back on track, one in ten — 10% — thought they would eventually recover, and 35% believed their lives would never be the same.  However, many New York City residents have healed since the years immediately following the attacks.  In September 2004, only 24% reported their lives had returned to normal.  17% thought they would eventually recover while nearly six in ten — 59% — said their lives would never be the same.

Looking at what residents think of New York City itself, 47% of residents say the city has not fully recovered since the September 11th attacks.  28%, though, believe it is just as good as it was before the attacks while 26% report the city is even better.

In NY1-Marist’s previous survey, 48% said the city still needed healing, 28% believed New York City was back on par, and one in four — 25% — thought it was even better. Here, too, perceptions have improved since September 2004.  At that time, a majority — 54% — reported New York City had not fully recovered.  30%, at that time, believed it was just as good, and 16% said it was better than it had been before the attacks.

Table: Daily Life Since 9/11

Table: Daily Life Since 9/11 (Over Time)

Trend graph: Daily like since September 11.

Click on the graph to enlarge the image.

Table: Status of NYC Since 9/11

Table: Status of NYC Since 9/11 (Over Time)

Trend graph: Status of NYC since September 11.

Click on the graph to enlarge the image.

NY1-Marist Poll Methodology